The Lannisters send their regards, and so does George R.R. Martin, the man who penned the story behind Game of Thrones. The most successful show in HBO's history, it is based on the novel "A Song of Ice and Fire", and counts the writer as one of the producers.

Winter has been coming for a long time, as the first book in the novel, appropriately called "A Game of Thrones", was published in 1996. A mint condition hardback version is for sale on eBay for $1,075, showing how much everything surrounding Westeros has become popular. The first season of the TV show aired in April 2011 and the first episode had little less that 3 million viewers, which is a lot considering this is HBO, a network known best for shows like The Sopranos and Entourage, and less for epic fantasy novels.

The following in the United States alone amassed 7.1 million people watching the season 4 finale last June, 32% up from the last episode of the previous season. At the same time, Game of Thrones was the most illegally downloaded TV show of 2014, with 8.1 million downloads as of December 2014. There's a reason for all this madness: it's both the Lannisters and the fact that GoT became the Star Wars of the new generation.

It depicts a very detailed, old, medieval world, in which magic and dragons exist, but do not represent the main attraction of the story. This would be power and the lengths one will go to conquer it - and then, to retain it. It's also about honour - a Lannister always pays its debts, about vengeance - I will take what is mine with fire and blood, and about betrayal - your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth. It's also about the unexpected; from season's one chopping of [spoiler alert] Eddard Stark's head, we knew no character was safe, no matter how much we loved them. Or perhaps, because of that.

Season 5 is set to premiere in the United States and Canada on April 12 and the artwork shows Daenerys' dragons grown into full-sized adults. Trust no one, and keep your dragon close, the Stormborn queen has said. And Jon Snow will still know nothing.